The Ubicomp conference, held this year in Seattle, USA, presents research in the field of ubiquitous (pervasive) computing; ICT that has penetrated into all aspects of our daily lives, smart environments, sensors, activity recognition, data analysis, interaction techniques, design and communication and privacy. This year the conference was combined with the ISWC, the International Symposium on Wearable Computing so there was a lot of mobile and smart fashion.

Saskia Robben and Ahmed Nait Aicha gave a presentation on their research in the workshop ‘Smart Health Systems’ and prof. Ben Kröse gave a plenary lecture at the beginning of the workshop.

If you want to see future developments in computer science, design, interaction and smart wearables; look at the program (and publications) on the website.

During the first Dutch iBeacon hackathon, organized by Glimworm Beacons (Joint Venture of Glimworm and HvA HOIO Sven Haitjema), Sanoma and Appsterdam, 10 developers presented their ideas after two days brainstorming, hacking, programming and probably occasionally swearing . Ideas and even functioning demos were presented to an expert jury. The teams presented ideas to make musea more attractive, to be spraying at parties, to share virtual graffiti all with a common denominator using iBeacon technology.

The first prize went to Billboard Stories. With iBeacon technology Billboard Stories will be possible to make billboards personally. Through an app and a iBeacon next to a billboard anybody who is walking by a billboard can be ‘seen’. On the basis of the preferences of the person an advertisement is displayed focused at that person’s needs.

The team of Sven also presented an application: Digital Grafity. This allows the user to leave digital messages at random places (where iBeacon is near …).

A group of students who, during the minor ‘healthcare technology’, developed an ‘interactive wall’ for elderly with dementia has started a bachelors project where they set up their own company. Because there was so much demand for the interactive wall, particularly from nursing homes, the students investigate whether they can start a successful business with this product. Today BNR news radio was visiting the HvA to interview the students. More information about the company: www.illi-engineering.nl. The interview will be broadcast on BNR eye openers.

Later this week the wall will be shipped to nursing home Naarderheem where it will be tested. Then the wall will be used as a Golden Demo for national ICT program COMMIT/.

Virtually all beach animals are now exhibited in the Electriciteitsfabriek in The Hague. Ancient skeletons and other historical materials are also displayed. Theo gave an inspiring lecture about the origin of the animals and evolution. The picture shows some members of the digital life group involved in moving from one of the beasts.

February 14 was the joint kick off the minors Fashion Theories and Intelligent Environments at HvA. Intelligent Environments offers a program in the field of design, engineering and research. Fashion Theories offers a program in the field of Fashion & the Body, Theories of Fashion Culture and Identity and Marketing Theories. During the program, students investigated whether a connection exists between fashion and movement and whether the relationship between fashion and technology can be found.

Monday Feb 3, 2000 students of the Amsterdam University of Applied Science participated in the ‘Students in motion‘ week. Students carry out assignments for the city of Amsterdam. One of the assignments is exercising with the SIM SENSEI City Runner app.

The SIM SENSEI City Runner app encourages running in the city and also contributes to the scientific research of the HvA. People who turn on the City Runner app, generate motion data which is used to determine how people are running and how they feel about it.

The City Runner app is developed especially for SIM by the COMMIT project SENSEI, Amsterdam Creative Industries Centre of Expertise project Sense in the City and the CitySDK project which are three projects of the research group Digital Life.

A delegation of the Dutch MMI plaform visited the HvA Amsterdam University of Applied Science. We had an workshop on MMI aspects of aircrafts and airports and students of Medialab and Digital Life Centre demonstrated their projects.